# Esoterica Dunbar



## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

So, I've been smoking a lot of VaPers lately. Years ago, when I was blending my own tobaccos, I had a bad experience with perique and I avoided it for over a decade. Well, I'm more than making up for it recently and I think I may be starting to develop a preference for VaPers (even ahead of my beloved English tobaccos). Add that to the always excellent offerings from Esoterica and I _love_ this stuff!

I've been slowly working my way through the samples I got from Jack Straw/Andrew in the pipe PIF (I've had some recent bombs, this PIF, and I've bought some tins I really wanted to try, and lately I've been too busy to smoke everyday, so even with avoiding most of my standbys it is taking me a while to get to everything). This Dunbar was one of the tobaccos he sent (as well as another VaPer that has been added to my favorites list- Escudo). I smoked a bowl of this sample last night in my Peterson Kinsale XL15.

Being from a sample, I don't know how old it is, if it was dried at all, and it was shipped in a baggie so it may have dried a bit in transit. So, I can't really comment authoritatively on whether it normally comes wet or dry. I'd guess it probably comes a little wet and could use some drying when right out of a fresh tin because it was about perfect when I smoked it, not too dry and not too wet.

Opening the bag, it smells a little musty, woody, and just a little leathery. Nice earthy smells. I can't comment on the smell or room note when smoking because I usually smoke outdoors (no lingering room note) and I smoked it with a buddy who was smoking a cigar (so the smell off the pipe was mixed with the smell of cigar).

Like I said earlier, it is probably quite a bit dryer than it comes out of the tin. So, no surprises that it lit quite easily. I didn't always keep up my cadence when smoking though and did have to relight it 2 or 3 times.

It is quite good- very genuine pure tobacco flavor coupled with a little spice as is typical of a VaPer. As I get with a lot of VaPers it is a smoking experience that is very reminiscent of a cigar (it doesn't really taste like a cigar, but it seems to me to be a similar experience- pure tobacco, a little sweetness, a little spiciness). However, be aware that it is very mild in flavor. It doesn't knock you over with strong flavors, it is a much more subtle tobacco. That isn't to say it is boring or one dimensional in any way, you just have to pay closer attention.Unlike many Virginia tobaccos, it does not seem to burn particularly hot- I got absolutely zero tongue bite or burn. With the combination of no bite or burn and mild but terrific flavor, it would quite possibly make a great first foray into VaPers for someone, and it would be a good everyday, all day smoke as well.

Overall, it is very good stuff. Depending upon how I like the tin of Dorchester I bought just before this was sent to me, I will keep one or the other in stock at all times. I like it enough to say I'd keep the Dunbar in stock, but both Dunbar and Dorchester are Esoterica VaPers so I'll probably only keep the one I like best out of the two (especially since I'm going to be adding quite a few VaPers in the near future). If you like Virginias, VaPers, or cigars, you owe it to yourself to try some Dunbar.


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## funbags (Jan 19, 2011)

spot on.I haven't smoked Dunbar in years. May have to revisit one day.


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## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

Oh, I did forgot to mention something. Don't be fooled by the mild flavor, it does pack a punch. Smoke it on a full stomach and or with a sweet drink to cut it. It packs a stong Vitamin N punch. I had little more than a snack before smoking it, and by the end of the bowl (about 40-45min) I had a bit of a nicotine buzz going. Just something to be aware of with this terrific tobacco.


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

Good review.
I was a little put off by the initial smell when I opened the tin because it smelled so sour, and didn't have that usual sweet VA smell. 

The moisture in my tin was pretty much spot on and ready to smoke, which was surprising considering that the tobacco was packed in the tin so tight I probably could have lifted it out in one circular brick.


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## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

Commander Quan said:


> Good review.
> ... the tobacco was packed in the tin so tight I probably could have lifted it out in one circular brick.


I've noticed with my Margate and Pembroke (some tins of Esoterica ribbon cuts in my cellar) that Esoterica tends to do that. They really pack it in. I do wonder about the claimed weight of the tins- they pack so much tobacco in their tins they have to weigh more than claimed.


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

Thankyou kindly for the great review & the insight Jeff, I will be sure to try this one soon.


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